Machine and method for sewing buttons onto fabric or the like



March 28, 1933. F oss 1,903,268

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SEWING BUTTONS ONTO FABRIC OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1 I I URYEY.

March 28, N. oss 1 2 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SEWING BUTTONS ONTO FABRIC OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21, 1928 5 Shgets-Sheet 2 4 13 /7 /7 M 5 .3 m. I \46 a r I I NVENTOR. /%me/cr A 4 March 28, I F N oss MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SEWING BUTTONS ONTO FABRIC OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 y J INVENTOR.

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March 28, 1933. F N b 3, 68

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SEWING BUTTONS ONTO FABRIC OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 m 1 6 7 a L 9 I /+a J L 1 I 7 4o a 5 J7 7 '1 4x 4/ j/ C 5 INVENTOR. /5 A @ffltP/CKMFOJJ A TTORNE Y.

March 28, G55 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SEWING BUTTONS ONTO FABRIC OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1N VEN TOR. fezwe/c/r A! Fox BY Z 4 A T RA EY.

Patented Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK N. ROSS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PATENT BUTTON COMPANY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT AND METHOD FOR SEWING BUTTONS ONTO FABRIC OR THE LIKE Application filed February 21, 1928. Serial No. 255,944.

This invention relates toa machine and method for sewing buttons onto fabric or the like, and it has to do especially with an apparatus for'feeding and positioning the buttons as regards the sewing machine.

In my Patent #1,599,146, dated September 7, 1926, an apparatus of this nature is shown and claimed, as is the method for feeding and positioning the buttons. That .invention contemplated feeding and positioning buttons with respect to the sewing ma chine, by utilizing a previously attached button as it was moved away from underneath the needle. The present invention, however, contemplates an improved mechanism, and one of the objects in view is the provision of a mechanism which ermits an operator to remove an attached button by drawing the material, to which the button is attached, toward the operator. The mechanism of the patent required the operator to remove the material, to which the button was attached sideways; while this has proved satisfactory, machine operators are not accustomed to this movement, and increased efficiency and production is obtainable by the present invention which affords mechanism which permits movements to which the operators are familiar and accustomed.

Another object of the invention is to minimize the length of the effective stroke for feeding and positioning the button. Two things have to be accomplished in order to properly position the button, to wit: The holes of the button have to be placed properly with respect to the needle, and the button itself must be moved to a point underneath the needle. The present invention contemplates accomplishing these twothings substantially simultaneously, so as to not use part of the efiective stroke for accomplishing one, and another part of the effective stroke for accomplishing the other. This materially cuts down the button feeding and positioning stroke on the part of the operator and makes for increased operating speed.

I11 the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a sew- 60 ing machine, and the button feeding and positioning means, the view being taken at a point substantially where an operator sits.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus illustrating how the buttons are fed to a point rearward of theneedle so that the feeding is from this rearward position towards the front of the machine and toward the operator.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 illustrating the button guideways.

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on line 4.4 of Fig. 2. a

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing the button holding means when the button is in proper position to be sewed to a suitable fabric. I I

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken through the feeding and positioning means showing the parts in the position which they take just as the button is positioned.

Fig. 7. is a view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating the position of the parts while one button is being sewed onto a suitable fabric and showing the button feeding and positioning means in a position ready to engage the forward button in the button guide.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the needle and button feeding means showing in more detail some of the structural features thereof.

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 4 showing the stop for a button which is fed, and which prevents removal thereof until the feeding mechanism is placed in operative position for a feed stroke. .86

A sewing machine is shown in Fig. .l and includes the usual table 1, housing 2 for housing the needle operating mechanism, the

needle being referenced The machine is equipped with a suitable hopper 4 which is actuated from a drive shaft 5 together with a belt running over pulleys as shown.

A suitable chute 6 for the buttons leads from the hopper to a point which is to the rear of the sewing needle; that is to say, on the opposite side of the sewing needle from where the operator sits. For this purpose the chute is given a curvature as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The hopper is supported for a slight pivotal movement, as at 7, the-purpose of mo which will presently appear, it being understood that the chute 6 is rigidly attached to the hopper.

The end of this chute, near the needle is shown in Fig. 6, and in this view it will be noted that the chute is provided with a bracket 7 supported by a bolt 8, in turn carried by a bracket 9 on the machine housing, there being a spring 10 acting upon a thimble 11, slidable upon the bolt, and urging the lower end of the chute downwardly. Thus, this end of the chute can be raised and lowered slightly, the raising being eifected by the compression of the spring 10. Inasmuch as thechute is rigidly fixed to the hopper this movement effects a slight rocking of the hopper on its pivotal support 7. The spring 10, however, holds the end of the chute normally down, as shown in Fig. 7.

Noting Fi 3, it will be observed that the lower end of the chute 6 is curved so as to feed the buttons from the rear side of the needle toward the operator, and that adjacent its end it is provided, on either side, with stops 15, each acted upon by fiat springs 16. The chute presents a channel forthe buttons, as illustrated, and the stops 15 project into the channel. Accordingly, as the hopper is operated the chute is maintained substantially full of buttons with the lowermost button restin against stops 15.

There is a secon ary chute or button guide which is in the nature of a presser foot illustrated at 17 (Fig. 2), which is mounted at 18 and normally urged downwardly onto the table by a spring 19. The forward end of this secondary guide is bifurcated, as at 20 (Figs. 3 and 4), and the ends of the bifurcated portions are of channel shape for the purpose of guiding buttons. The end of the chute 6 lies in between the bifurcated portions 20, and the channeled ends 21 of the bifurcated portions lying beyond the end of the chute 6. It will be noted, by referring to Fig. 3, that a portion of the bifurcated members underlies the end of the chute 6, as shown at 22.

This presser foot member holds a button while the same is being sewed. As the needle reciprocates it is necessary to alternately position the holes of the button underneath the needle. Accordingly, the mounting 18 (Fig. 2) reciprocates to' in turn reciprocate the presser foot member 17; there is also a work supporting arm 1a connected at 1?) to the mounting 18, so that both the presser foot and work supporting arm reciprocate together. This, however, is a well known expedient in sewing machines provided for the purpose of sewing on buttons, and forms no part of the present invention.

A bracket 23 is secured to the portions 20 of the member 17, and a portion of this bracket, as at 24, overlies a'member 25 con-' nected to the mechanism in the sewing head.

This member 25 is a part of the presser foot mechanism in the sewing head, any desired construction of which can be utilized.

The chute leading from the hopper, and the presser foot member 17, cooperate in forming the guide in which the buttons are fed to the needle. For example, these two parts are shown in their normal position in Fig. 7 at which time the sewing head can be operated to sew a button onto a suitable fabric or the like. After the sewing of this button is completed the presser head mechanism in the sewing head is lifted by a suitable hand or foot lever (not shown). This lifts up the member 25, and also, through the means of the bracket 23, raises the presser foot member 17. Inasmuch as a portion of this presser foot underlies the chute as at 22, the chute is engaged and also raised against the action of the spring 10. At this time the channels in the members 21 and the channel in the chute 6 are aligned so that a button may be fed out of the chute and into the presser foot member (Fig. 6). Upon release of the presser foot mechanism in the sewing head, both the foot and the presser foot member drop back to the position shown in Fig. 7. Thus the manner in which a button can be fed from the chute into the presser foot member is clear, and it remains to describe how a button is advanced from one to the other.

There is a swinging bracket 30 (Figs. 2 and 8), pivotally mounted as at 31 to the head 2, which is acted upon by a tension spring 32 so that it is normally held back to the rear of the needle, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This bracket carries a finder 35 provided with prongs or points 36 for going into the holes of the button, and this finder is rotatably mounted in the bracket. The finder includes a gear toothed member 37 which is in engagement with the rack 38 (Fig. 7) on a stationary bracket 39. This finder member is also slidable up and down in the bracket, and it is normally urged downwardly by a spring 40, (Fi 8) which engages the top of the gear toot ed member, the spring being attached to the swinging bracket 30. Thus it will be noted that if the bracket 30 is swung on its pivots, the finder is rotated in its mounting.

Again viewing Fig. 7, the parts are in position for the needle to operate to sew the button in position A, to a suitable material such as fabric B, while the button in position C remains in the end of the chute 6 by reason of the stops 15. The swinging bracket and the finder are in rearward position as illustrated in Figs; 2 and 7, so that the finder is immediately above the button in position C. After the button in position A is sewed to the fabric the presser foot mechanism in the' sewing head, which includes the member 25, is raised; this raises the presser member 17, and as it is ralsed it engages underneath the chute 6 (see Fig. 3, reference character 22) so that the button at C raises up into contact with the finder. In all probability the holes in the button will not align with the projections 36 so that the finder is raised up somewhat against the action of the spring 40.

The bracket 30 carries a projection 41 and a spring 42, which, when the button at C raises up towards the finder, engages the button on opposite sides as illustrated in Fig. 6. The spring 42 exerts pressure on the buttonto keep it from rotating as it is fed, and as the finder rotates, as will presently be described. An arm 45 is attached to the swinging bracket 30 (Fig. 9) and it is provided with a stud 46 which is disposed immediately in front of the button at A when the presser member is raised carrying this button with it. Viewing Fig. 9, it will be noted that when the presser foot is down against the fabric B. that the stud 46 is positioned above the button. The operator may now after the presser member is raised, pull the fabric out of the machine towards the operator; this direction would be from left to right, viewing Fig. 7. The button at A, by reason of engaging the stud 46, pulls the swinging bracket forwardly until it takes the position shown in Fig. 6. During this movement the button at C is ad vanced, and simultaneously the finder is rotated-until the points 36 drop into the eyes of ,the button under the action of the spring 40. This button C is now in position A (Figs. 3, 6, and 7) where it is held between the two stops 50 which are acted on by a spring 51. Thus it will be noted that the finding and the positioning of the holes of the button is performed simultaneously with the feeding of the button into the proper position. This materially reduces the effective stroke for positioning and feeding the button.

As long as the presser foot mechanism is held up the parts remain in the position illustrated in Fig. 6. After the button, formerly in position A, has been removed, and is out of contact with the stud 46, the stop members 50 engage the button which has just been advanced to position A (Fig. 3) with sufficient strength to overcome the tension of the spring 32. Thus the finder and swinging bracket are held forwardly in position shown in Fig. 6. However, when the presser foot mechanism is released, the presser foot member 17 drops down into engagement with the fabric B, which has again been positioned for the attachment of another button, thus carrying with it the button just fed and placing it in position A of Fig. 7 Simultaneously the end of the chute 6 drops down into the position of Fig. 7 under action of the spring 10. As the points 36 are now disengaged from the holesin the button, the bracket 30 swings back carrying the finder back, so that it is now in the position of Fig. 7 immediately overlying another but- It will be understood that as soon as one button is removed from the chute 6 that all the buttons in the chute advance. When a button at C is pulled forwardly by the finder, the spring stops 15 give way. i

It will be noted that feeding of the buttons into place is accomplished only when the presser foot member and chute are raised into proper alignment, and accordingly it is desirable not to permit movement of the attached button, which is utilized to effect this feeding, until the chutes are in proper ali ment. Accordingly, a spring stop mem er 55 (Figs. 3 and 9) is attached to one of the channel members 21 of the presser foot member, which has an end portion 56 that lies in front of and in contact with the button at A. Thus the fabric- B can not be pulled out of the machine so long as the attached button at A is stopped by the member 55. However, when the presser foot member is raised, the spring member 55 moves up against the stud 46, and the stud being incapable of vertical movement depresses the spring out of the way of the button. Thus the feeding can only be effected when the presser member is raised.

Some times it may be desirable to remove the fabric with an attached button without feeding another button into place. This may occur when the machine is to be put temporarily out of operation 'for one reason or another, or should it be desirable to sew an odd shaped or colored succeeding button. For this purpose the arm 45 is pivotally mounted to the bracket 30, as at 57 (Fig. 9), so that it can be pivoted out of the way of the button. Accordingly, when the presser member is raised the fabric and button can be withdrawn, by first manually depressing the stop 55 without effecting the feeding of another button by pulling forward the bracket 30 together with the finder. The arm 45 is held in normal operating position by a small spring 45a (Fig. 4) and a stop 46a limits the action of the spring on the arm by contacting with the bracket 30.

I claim:

1. The method of positioning buttons to a sewing machine for attaching the buttons to a fabric or the like, which comprises attac'hing one button, and simultaneously feeding another button to position and rotating this other button to properly position the eyes thereof, by removal of the said attached button from attachingposition.

2. In a button attaching machine, the combination with a sewing head, of means for feeding buttons one after another to a point adjacent the head, a pivoted carriage on the head for advancinga button from the said adjacent point to sewing position, means for carriage engaged by an attached button for swinging the carriage on its pivot upon removal of said attached button.

3. In a button attaching machine, the combination with a sewing head, of means for feeding buttons to a point adjacent the sewing head and means operable by the removal of a previously attached button to simultaneously advance a button bodily to sewing position, and rotate the button while so bodily moving to properly position the eyes thereof for sewing.

4. In a button attaching machine, the combination with a sewing head, of a pivoted carriage including button engaging devices for advancing a button to sewing position and a finder for positioning the eyes of the button, means on the carriage for engaging a previously attached button which moves the carriage to advance a buttom upon removal of the previously attached button, achute for feeding and guiding buttons, means for moving the chute to place a button therein into engagement with the advancing carriage and means for preventing removal of the previously attached button until the said chute has been moved to place the button into engagement with the advancing carriage.

5. In a button attaching machine, the combination with a sewing head, of a pivoted carriage including button engaging devices for advancing a button to sewing position and a finder for positioning the eyes of the button, means on the carriage for engaging a previously attached button which moves the carriage to advance the button upon removal of the previously attached button, a pair of normally disaligned button guiding devices, means for aligning the guiding devices and for moving one to place a button into engagement with the advancing carriage, and means for preventing removal of the previously attached button until the said devices have been so aligned.

6. In a button attaching machine, the combination with a sewing head, of a pivoted button advancing device having button engaging means which moves in an arc to and from sewing position, means for effecting this movement to advance a button, means for feeding buttons to a point adjacent the pivoted. advancing device, and means for moving the button feeding means to place a button into engagement with the button engaging means on the pivoted advancing devlce. e

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FREDERICK N. ROSS. 

